Forceps are plier-like instruments that have opposing jaws. The jaws can be used during a medical procedure to effect an anatomical feature, such as a vessel or tissue. For example, a vessel or tissue can be positioned between the gripping sections of the opposing jaws, and the jaws can be used to move, grip, grasp, push, pull, cut, dissect and/or otherwise effect the vessel or tissue. Some forceps also include electrosurgical capabilities for electrically effecting an anatomical feature. For example, a vessel or tissue can be sealed or coagulated with an electrosurgical therapy current that is passed from or between one or both of the jaws.
Before effecting the anatomical feature, care should be taken to properly position or locate the anatomical feature between the gripping sections of the opposing jaws. For example, if a vessel or tissue is positioned or located between the jaws too far in a proximal direction, for example beyond a proximal end of the griping sections, the vessel or tissue may not be held or gripped securely, which may undesirably cause trauma to the anatomical feature while being effected. Moreover, some forceps have a hinge or other pivot mechanism that allows for the one or both of the jaws to, move towards and away from one another. A vessel or tissue that is positioned too far in a proximal direction may be pinched in the hinge or pivot mechanism, which may undesirably cause bleeding or trauma to the anatomical feature.
Further, while using electrosurgical forceps, if a vessel or tissue is positioned too far in a proximal direction, for example beyond the electrically conductive sections of one or both of the jaws, that portion of the vessel or tissue may not be sufficiently sealed or coagulated. Advancing a cut blade onto or through a portion of a vessel or tissue that is not sufficiently coagulated may undesirably cause bleeding or trauma to the anatomical feature.
A need for improvement in the art is therefore apparent. For example, it may be desirable to provide forceps that include one or more features that can assist a surgeon in positioning an anatomical feature between the jaws. It may be desirable to provide forceps that include one or more features that can prevent or at least reduce chances of an anatomical feature being positioned or located too far in a proximal direction between the jaws. For example, it may be desirable to provide forceps that include one or more features that can help locate an anatomical feature between the gripping sections of the jaws and thus reduce chances of the anatomical feature being pinched in a hinge or pivot mechanism of the forceps. For example, it may be desirable to provide forceps that include one or more features that can help locate an anatomical feature between the conductive sections of the jaws of electrosurgical forceps so that the entire anatomical feature can be properly sealed or coagulated.